The UK has twice as many shops as it needs, according to the author of a report into how to save the nation’s high streets, which are coming to the end of a dismal year.
Businessman Sir John Timpson, who chaired an expert panel tasked with advising how the government can support traditional retailers, said it is “obvious” that empty shops could be used for housing.
In a report published on Tuesday, he recommended an “upside down government” approach that supports local communities to create their own unique hubs.
